A 16-year-old Somerset girl head-butted a paramedic, kicked another to the ground and hit a third in the chest after they tried to treat her for an alcohol overdose.

The paramedics were called to the aid of the girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, as she lay slumped outside a shop in Street at about 8.30pm on December 22.

They had reports that she had been on a heavy drinking session.

As Claire Davies, Patrick Murphy and Adrian Jones lifted the girl to her feet she lunged, shouting and screaming, at them.

She barged Ms Davies on the shoulder as she tried to get her into an ambulance, causing her to fall to the ground.

The girl kicked her in the groin before hitting Mr Murphy in the chest.

She apologised to Ms Davies before going back into the shop in the village's High Street and asking for more alcohol.

Mr Jones told staff she was drunk and underage, at which the girl head-butted him.

The girl yesterday admitted three counts of assault and told South Somerset Youth Court in Yeovil she could not remember anything about the incident.

She appeared in court with her father and her social worker beside her.

"She has no recollection of the assaults but said that early on that day she was invited to a friend's house where others were drinking," said Sam Morton, mitigating.

"There was pressure for her to drink, which she resisted at first, but then accepted the alcohol.

"She fears something was put in her drink, although there is no evidence of this, given her state when she was found.

"She is truly remorseful and knows that the court will take this matter seriously given that these people were trying to help her.

"She has written letters of apology to the paramedics."

South Western Ambulance Service spokesman Andrew Kirchin said: "As a Trust, it is our policy to fully support police in their attempts to prosecute those who carry out such attacks and we hope that the courts will reflect the severity of the offence when sentencing."

"I am sure the parents of this 16-year-old girl would be pleased knowing three highly-skilled people were there to help their daughter when she needed them most."

Magistrates adjourned sentencing until Wednesday, January 28 to receive reports.

But they told the girl they would consider custody because of the seriousness of assaulting a paramedic.

The girl also admitted a breach of a community punishment order she received in October for theft from a car in Somerset.